Foodbme, Why? A "makeover" of the Soda Shop would be sacrilege. As a former patron (I no longer live in Nashville), there is nothing that needs to be changed.

My fondest memory of EPSS is of a particular visit while in college in the early 80s. As typical college students, we ordered cheesburgers, fries and shakes. The waitress refused to submit our orders, insisting that we needed vegetables. No matter how hard we tried to convince her that we WANTED burgers, she was firm in her opinion. We had vegetable plates that evening. Only a Soda Shop waitress could have gotten away with that!

Foodbme, Why? A "makeover" of the Soda Shop would be sacrilege. As a former patron (I no longer live in Nashville), there is nothing that needs to be changed. My fondest memory of EPSS is of a particular visit while in college in the early 80s. As typical college students, we ordered cheesburgers, fries and shakes. The waitress refused to submit our orders, insisting that we needed vegetables. No matter how hard we tried to convince her that we WANTED burgers, she was firm in her opinion. We had vegetable plates that evening. Only a Soda Shop waitress could have gotten away with that!

I'm not talking bout the menu or staff. I'm talking about some new wallpaper, paint, rugs and lighting, etc. Maybe some new tables and chairs. Clean the place up, evict the Roaches etc. Based on comments about the slip in food quality made by people who have been there recently, maybe they do need to shakeup the kitchen staff, reestablish the quality of the food coming out. Keep all the nostalgic stuff around there but upgrade the standards a little and don't tick off the Waitresses! Give the place a new energy that made it great.

Brad-It seems that way, huh? On our previous visit, we got there about a half hour before they closed for the day and they were already out of many things we wanted to order. Next time, I plan on showing up much earlier!

A little makeover would seemingly go a long way. Most of the people talking with the fondest memories seem to be discussing the place like it is a museum of a restaurant that used to be good (with the exception of Poverty Pete, who apparently was conducting a job interview there!).

It is always hard to judge a place on one visit alone, but my one visit did not make me yearn for another. There are just too many other good places in Nashville. Nonetheless, it hurts when a beloved place closes - and for the news that they will not, I, too, am happy.

I found an excerpt on Ellston Place Soda Shop from my trip report in 2005 as follows:

"I had one last meal in Nashville at the Ellston Soda Shop. I got the Turkey Casserole, with Mac N Cheese, Greens, Corn Bread, and Sweet Tea. The Turkey Casserole was good, the Mac n Cheese was not, frankly it tasted like it came from a box. The Lemon Ice Box Pie was definetly the icing on the cake (no pun intended) it was really good." Agreeing with TTM, it was ok, nothing special- the only thing I really enjoyed was the lemon icebox pie- and I would return just for that- but there are many better places in Nashville- As far as Meat n Three's are concerned, I would certainly return to Swett's and Arnold's Country Kitchen.

TWog, So you see what was good & hip in the 80's, may not be so today. That's why everyone is nostalgic about the place---It is a place that was a place "Back When". They all would like to see it restored to its former glory.

TWog, So you see what was good & hip in the 80's, may not be so today. That's why everyone is nostalgic about the place---It is a place that was a place "Back When". They all would like to see it restored to its former glory.

Oh my gosh! No one ever ate at the Soda Shop because it was "hip". For you to make that statement, you must be either (1) a non-Nashvillian, or (2) a Nashvillian who is part of the "Industry" and therefore worries about what is "hip". Several of the comments here appear to be from road foodies who base their opinions on one visit. Elliston Place Soda Shop still has many loyal customers, but like many other restaurants has hit a stretch of bad luck in this economy. I don't have any problem with a clean-up, but for someone to suggest a visit from the Restaurant: Impossible show, where decor is not just updated, but redone, and where menus are completely overhauled, seems a bit overboard. A large part of the appeal is the nostalgia, and no one needs to overhaul that.

FoodbmeTWog, So you see what was good & hip in the 80's, may not be so today. That's why everyone is nostalgic about the place---It is a place that was a place "Back When". They all would like to see it restored to its former glory.

Oh my gosh! No one ever ate at the Soda Shop because it was "hip". For you to make that statement, you must be either (1) a non-Nashvillian, or (2) a Nashvillian who is part of the "Industry" and therefore worries about what is "hip". Several of the comments here appear to be from road foodies who base their opinions on one visit. Elliston Place Soda Shop still has many loyal customers, but like many other restaurants has hit a stretch of bad luck in this economy. I don't have any problem with a clean-up, but for someone to suggest a visit from the Restaurant: Impossible show, where decor is not just updated, but redone, and where menus are completely overhauled, seems a bit overboard. A large part of the appeal is the nostalgia, and no one needs to overhaul that.

Don't make statements when you don't know what your talking about. I lived in Nashville from 1979 to 1983 as an adult, not a college kid, and ate at the place numerous times. My Daughter and her Native Nashvillian Husband and their family still live there (almost 20 years) and we visit frequently and have been to the EPSS numerous times and have watched it go downhill. My Daughter works at the Vanderbilt University Hospital in a Medical Management position. To people my age, the place was considered a "HIP" place to go. So don't tell me what's hip and what's not. It can be restored to look like it did originally. You make a lot of incorrect assumptions about what I was trying to convey without getting into great decor detail. The place needs help in the front and the back of the house. How many times have you been there in the last 10 years, or since you left Vandybrat University for that matter?

Speaking of assumptions.... I did not attend Vanderbilt. There are numerous other colleges and universities in the Nashville are. But I'm sure being the Nashville expert you are (based on your four years of residency), you knew that.

I, too, lived there - for twenty-three years, so I have experienced Nashville as both a college student and an adult. I have eaten more meals at EPSS than you can count. I visit Nashville at least twice a year and try to get there on at least one of those stays.

I am unsure what your daughter's "Medical Management" position has to do with the subject, but, hey, I was an executive with a bank. Does that make me more or less of an authority on restaurants?

I meant no offense when I responded to your original post. You are the one, sir, who introduced hipness in you rather ridiculous post.